2013 is poised for greatness, and 2011 proves what is possible
A year after a brutal crash in St. Louis SX, Ryan Villopoto returned with force in 2011 to take the opening round win. (Cudby photo) Racer X James Stewart would bounce back from a third in the opening round to win round 2 in Phoenix. It was his first SX win in a year. (Cudby photo) Racer X At the first-ever Dodger's Stadium Supercross, RV won an intense battle with Stewart and Ryan Dungey to take his second win of the season. (Cudby photo) Racer X It was the RV/Stewart show early in 2011, as Stewart won his second race at round 4 in Oakland. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X The 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Champion, Ryan Dungey, would derail a chain at A2. This would cost Dungey a massive amount of points, leaving him to play catch up the rest of the season. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X Stewart would make it back-to-back wins at Anaheim 2. This was a special night for Stewart, where he pulled a bunch of big quad jumps and basically rode away from the field. (Cudby photo) Racer X Maybe this won't be a two-rider battle. Trey Canard would be the first rider not named Villopoto or Stewart to win, taking his first-career 450SX win at a crazy race in Houston. (Cudby photo) Racer X Many counted out Chad Reed's privateer TwoTwo Motorsports effort, but on a muddy night in San Diego, he grabbed a victory at round 7 in San Diego. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X Reed and and Stewart were back at the top of the supercross game, and the action really got heated in the ATL. Reed and Stewart went bar-to-bar, only to get together late, allowing Villopoto to take the win. (Afred photo) Racer X Villopoto's win in Atlanta would mark his third of the season, and soon he'd start to build momentum and a points lead. (Afred photo) Racer X RV captured his fourth win of the season a week later in Daytona. (Afred photo) Racer X RV began to establish himself as the alpha dawg after his third straight win at Indy. (Afred photo) Racer X But it all came crashing down at the next round in Jacksonville. RV would miss the main after a crash in both his heat race and the LCQ. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X Stewart was primed to take advantage and likely the points lead, but suffered a big crash of his own right off the start in the main. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X Meanwhile, Trey Canard was there to pick up the pieces. In a great battle with Reed, he won his second career 450SX. (The Medium Group photo) Racer X Surprisingly it took until Toronto, round 12, for defending champion Dungey to win a race. But through consistency, he had been closing in on the points lead. Meanwhile, Villopoto and Stewart came together and lost more ground to Reed. (Afred photo) Racer X Things got testy between Stewart and Reed again in Dallas, as Stewart crashed into his rival in the whoops. That led to disappointing finishes for both. (Cudby photo) Racer X Canard, red-hot off his win in Jacksonville, won again in Dallas. The rookie was in the thick of it, until a broken leg suffered while testing ended his season early. (Cudby photo) Racer X Stewart would be the first to bounce back from the fiasco in Dallas with a win at the next round in St. Louis. (Cudby photo) Racer X Stewart keep his title hopes alive win his fourth win of the season in Seattle. After an up and down season, the two-time SX Champion still had a shot at title number three. (Garth Milan photo) B Racer X But in a clutch ride, Villopoto would take control of the series with a win a week later in Salt Lake City. (Cudby photo) Racer X Reed would close out the season in spectacular fashion with a close-fought win over Dungey in Vegas. But it wouldn't be enough for the title. (Cudby photo) Racer X Reed and Dungey embrace each other after a battle in Vegas. (Cudby photo) Racer X Villopoto celebrates his first-career 450SX title with his fiancee' (now wife) Kristen. (Cudby photo) Racer X RV holding the #1 plate for the first time in his 450SX career. Few, if any, supercross seasons have created more excitement. (Cudby photo) Racer X